Blistering centuries from captain Michael Clarke and opener David Warner punished England's weary bowlers on day three as Australia moved to within touching distance of winning the first Test.

Warner's 124 off 154 balls - his first ton in Ashes cricket - and Clarke's 113 off 130 allowed the home side to declare after tea on 401-7 and set England a monstrous 561 to win.

Analysis

Michael VaughanEx-England captain & Test Match Special summariser

"I can't remember two days as bad as this from this England team - they have been nowhere near the standard we expect. But the Australians have played a great brand of aggressive cricket.

"The crowd have helped Australia - they have been hostile and England just haven't had any answers. The cracks that we thought were in the England team, but which were hidden because they won 3-0 in the summer, are wide open now."

Given an hour to survive, England lost Michael Carberry for a duck and Jonathan Trott for a tortured nine as they slumped to 24-2 by the close.

No side in history have scored more than 418 in the fourth innings to win a Test, and with the forecast good for the remaining two days Alastair Cook's men will have to bat out a near-impossible 183 overs to save the match.

And the manner in which they batted against Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris on Saturday evening suggested they will be fortunate to take it into a fifth day.

Carberry was a little unlucky to play on to Harris. But Trott looked utterly hapless against the predictable barrage of deliveries aimed at his body, his dismissal pulling Johnson straight to deep square leg as humiliating as it was inevitable.

Warner and Clarke had earlier put on 158 runs for the third wicket, with Graeme Swann (2-135) coming in for particularly chastening punishment.

Clarke's century was his 25th in Test cricket and his 11th as captain, and means that he now averages more than Sir Don Bradman at this ground.

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The Analyst: Clarke dominates short ball

England had given themselves brief hope by dismissing both Chris Rogers and Shane Watson in the first 35 minutes after Australia resumed on 65-0, both men caught playing ambitious back-foot shots.

They then tried to rough up Clarke with the same short, fast stuff that accounted for him in the first innings.

But neither Stuart Broad nor particularly the pedestrian Chris Tremlett could match the pace and aggression shown by Johnson and Harris on the second day, and the Australian skipper settled in by pulling away two fours.

It was the start of a sustained assault that picked up pace before lunch and then accelerated after as the heat built and England's bowlers tired.

Warner led the way, piling first into Tremlett and then attacking Swann with lusty relish to race into the 90s.

He was fortunate to escape on two occasions against James Anderson while on 99, but went to his century in the next over when he cover-drove Joe Root away to deafening appreciation from the Gabba crowd.

Australia's leading Test century-makers

41 - Ricky Ponting (168 Tests)

32 - Steve Waugh (168)

30 - Matt Hayden (103)

29 - Don Bradman (52)

27 - Allan Border (156)

25 - Michael Clarke (98*)

24 - Greg Chappell (87)

23 - Justin Langer (105)

Warner ripped off his helmet and leapt in the air to celebrate, and when Swann was recalled to the attack from the Vulture St End went after him again.

Clarke joined the assault, with brutal force to flay a six over long-on and with delicate panache to cut him behind point for more.

In three overs in the middle of the afternoon, Swann went for 38 runs, the 150 partnership coming up at almost a run a ball.

When first-innings destroyer Broad came back, Warner clouted him back over his head for another six, only to snick one behind to Matt Prior three balls later to fall for 124 and give Broad his 50th Ashes wicket.

The damage had been done. While Tremlett had Steve Smith caught behind for a duck, Clarke continued to use his feet beautifully to Swann and went to his own 100 with a controlled drive as the Gabba once again rose.

He celebrated with relish, kissing the badge on his helmet and pointing his bat at the home dressing-room, knowing that his innings had almost certainly crushed any faint hopes England had of saving the game.

Swann had posted his own unwanted century before he finally had any success, Clarke bowled as he went down the track once again, and although George Bailey's scalp then gave him his 250th Test wicket there were few smiles.

Analysis

Geoffrey BoycottEx-England batsman & Test Match Special summariser

"Jonathan Trott has a problem and it was a continuation of the first innings. He showed he had a problem with a short ball and he decided to play his shots but he's not the sort of player to be positive and play the pull and hook shot. He's a player who is quiet at the crease and scores his runs. Taking on the fast bowler doesn't work for him."

Brad Haddin and Johnson continued the cruel massacre against the second new ball and took the lead past the 517 that England famously made to save the corresponding Test three years ago.

Johnson heaved Tremlett for a straight six over long on before Haddin went to his second half-century of the game with a single off the 49th ball he faced.

Clarke declared as the score passed 400, knowing England's chances of batting out the 198 overs left in the match were remote.

Sure enough, both Carberry and Trott fell before Cook (11) and Kevin Pietersen (three) clung on to the close.

Even then it took fortune to see them survive, Pietersen calling his captain through for an insane single that would have seen him run out had Warner taken the ball cleanly by the stumps.

It summed up the horrors of the day for the tourists, second best by a distance throughout to a team they beat 3-0 only three months ago.

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Comments

The media reports in such a way that English sporting teams are either world beaters or pathetic.Is it any wonder that often our cricket/ rugby/ football teams are lulled into being complacent or have their confidence shredded?!A little balanced reporting after Australia's first innings would be Broad bowls well on wicket that traditionally offers results, Australia not out of it posting 300...

This England team has overrated themselves for a while now. We escaped in New Zealand, 3-0 was terribly flattering in the summer and now on a firm Aussie track we are struggling. We prepared extremely comfortable pitches in the summer because we play stale cricket where we wait for a mistake. Whenever there is pace and bounce we struggle (Old Trafford).Flat track bullies against 80 mph I'm afraid

I am a passionate England supporter, but I have to say: Well done Australia. They have played very well in this test, bowling accurately and batting with positive aggressive intent and executing very well. England have been poor and completely outplayed...so many of the batsmen seem out of form at the same time, and Swann has been very poor. England will improve in following games I am sure.

This one may be a lost cause, but Cook and the rest of the batsman must start rebuilding confidence now by putting up some resistance and delivering some good innings in this test in readiness for the 2nd Test.

Why do England seem to turn genuine 90+mph fast bowlers into fast-medium seamers? Is it because playing half your tests in English conditions means you don't have to work quite as hard to get wickets. Every single one of the Pacemen on this tour started off as 90mph bowlers, yet even Finn (who was seriously rapid) is now consistently mid 80s.

Am I the only one who thinks the Aussies are getting awfully overconfident? They've all but won this first test, but it is 1 out of 5; continuously slagging off our team at this stage is likely to backfire against them.

Of course it is Australia, so class is going to be limited at best, but their character assassination of Broad and scare-mongering efforts really are scraping the barrel this time

As entertaining as it is (if you're an Oz fan); methinks consecutive Ashes series in the same year (!) totally takes the edge off it.They seem to play each other every month now in one form of the game or another; whoever thought this one up has got it wrong as far as I am concerned. Too much of a good thing and all that.

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